Regroup
by gawilliams
Summary: What happens to the pairs after they evacuated the base and separated from the others? Multiple chapters looking at Jack/Arcee, Bulkhead/Miko, Bumblebee/Raf, and Fowler/June.
1. Chapter 1

_I was stunned at the end of the second season, but the pace and excitement of the episode was fantastic. I am writing this story to take a look at the four pairings we were left with at the end of the episode. This first chapter is a look at Jack and Arcee. The following chapters will cover Bulkhead/Miko, Bumblebee/Raf, and finally Fowler/June Darby. I hope you enjoy this one. I am using this to get back into writing for the Transformers universe and getting back to my stories _Home_ and _The Key: Aftermath_. Gregg._

_Disclaimer: I don't own, or profit from, these characters or franchise. No copyright infringement is intended._

Jack and Arcee emerged from the ground bridge and Arcee immediately went to full speed, not caring if their were humans nearby. She knew what was likely happening at the base, and she needed to make sure that she and Jack were well away from any tracking that may have been done on their signal emerging from the vortex. Jack, thankfully, didn't protest, and she kept her thoughts to herself. She did a quick GPS check to find out where they were, and was glad that Ratchet had sent them where he had. She set a course and made a rapid escape from the area.

For two hours they rode in silence. Arcee was confident that they had escaped undetected as she had engaged her Energon signal disruptor right before they had entered the ground bridge. She turned off the road and entered a wooded area, sending out a very low frequency encrypted signal. Immediately ahead a shimmer appeared and she went through it, entering a long entryway of metal. She entered a main area and came to a stop. When Jack got off she transformed and went right to a bank of computer screens and tapped a number of controls and code sequences. The screens came to life and information began scrolling through them rapidly. When she was satisfied with what she was seeing, she turned to Jack who looked stunned.

"What is this place?" Jack asked when he was able to talk. He was not sure what was happening, and he was still in shock at how everything had gone to Hell so quickly.

Arcee picked him up and placed him on the main level designed for humans so he was at eye level with her.

"We designed and built a group of alternate bases over the last year, Jack," she told him. "This is one of them. We are shielded and our energy signatures are undetectable, so we're safe here. I'm assuming that Ratchet bridged all of us within range of the various bases so we would all have a safe haven until we can find each other and make our next move."

Jack didn't know what to say. He wasn't even sure why this had all happened. He wanted an answer.

"Why did you guys hand over the keys?" he asked. "You would have won the war, Arcee. Miko, Raf, and me didn't want that kind of sacrifice on our heads."

Arcee felt a genuine admiration for Jack, just like she had on Cybertron when he had said that he was willing to die rather than see them hand over the keys. But she also needed to set him straight on something.

"We had no other choice, Jack," she said with conviction. "If we had let the three of you die and gotten our home world back, then we would have been no better than Megatron and the rest of the 'Cons. We don't sacrifice family for our own selfish gain. Ever. And do you really think me, Bulkhead, or Bumblebee could have lived with ourselves if the three of you had died when we could have prevented it?"

"But your home-" Jack tried to say but was cut off.

"Is here, Jack," she interjected. "It has been for a long time now, and it took this to make us realize that. Now we have to find a way to end this war once and for all so Earth won't end up like Cybertron."

"What about the others?" Jack questioned. They hadn't been the first to go through the ground bridge but as they weren't the last ones out he wasn't sure if everyone else made it. The base had really been taking a beating by that time.

"I don't know," Arcee told him honestly. "The Bridge was open, but the 'cons were really pounding the base. We won't really know for a while, as Ratchet was the only one who would know the locations that each of us were bridged to."

"And Optimus?" Jack asked.

Arcee decided to be honest. "Someone would have had to stay behind and make sure no information about our whereabouts got out. I can't imagine him surviving, Jack," she told him.

Jack closed his eyes and let that sobering thought play out in his mind. "My Mom?" Jack asked the one question he feared an answer to more than any other.

"Fowler told us he had ordered Jasper evacuated when we went topside to see what he was so upset about," Arcee replied. "I hope she got out of there and away from what was going down."

Jack had a strange feeling in his gut that she would have attempted to get to the base to try and find him, so he was extremely anxious about her whereabouts, but right then he needed to be strong and deal with this maturely. Regardless, he had a feeling that it would be a long time before he would be seeing his Mom again.

"What did Fowler want you to see?" he asked.

Arcee got an angry glare on her face plate. "The beam from the Omega device transformed the desert outside of Jasper into a fortress, like some sort of New Kaon," she told him grimly. She had to be very honest with him at this moment, and it pained her to do so. "Jack, I need you to focus on something. Megatron considers you a valuable target of opportunity. Remember on Cybertron when he said that one who was chosen to revitalize the Matrix of Leadership was worth two keys. He will not hesitate to use you as leverage, or just outright kill you. You, Miko, and Raf are very much a part of this now in a tangible, battlefield way. This is likely going to be a guerrilla war now, and we need to operate on that assumption. That means that we need to work on your skills, and also work on you and me becoming much more in tune with each other's tactics and abilities than we have till now. It means we're going to be here for a while until we are ready to reengage the Decepticons."

"Bulkhead and Bumblebee will be doing the same with Miko and Raf, huh?" Jack asked.

"Yeah," Arcee said, closing her optics and mentally trying not to lose it at the thought of Miko and Raf becoming one more part of the war machine. She had seen what killing Hardshell had done to the young girl, and was certain that Miko and Raf would not emerge from this war unscathed emotionally, if they even survived at all. "We need to get some rest, recharge, and then we can begin to deal with the future. We have quarters outfitted in these bases, and enough human sized quarters and supplies to last a long time. Let's go."

Jack followed Arcee out of the main control room deep in thought. He had a lot to consider, but also a lot to worry about. The war had come home, and now all of humanity was involved. But they were alive for now, and that gave him hope. He fell asleep a couple of hours later thinking of his Mom and if he would ever see her again.]

For herself, Arcee went into recharge mode thinking of her partner and all that had happened. The dynamics between them were changing, and they would be changing much more rapidly now that all this had happened. The question was, would she be able to help him keep from becoming the jaded, sometimes caustic individual she was, or rather had been before meeting him almost two years before. Only time would tell.

_A/N: There's the first chapter to this. We see the dilemma that Arcee and Jack are facing, and also some of their concerns. The next chapter I will look at Bulkhead and Miko. I hope you are enjoying this one. Gregg._


	2. Chapter 2

_Thank you for the response to the first chapter in this. It may seem somewhat formulaic to have a chapter by chapter look at one pair after another, and then look at the long term, but I felt that the initial elements for each pair needed to be examined. I hope you enjoy this glimpse at Bulkhead and Miko. Gregg._

_Disclaimer: I don't own, or profit from, these characters or franchise. No copyright infringement is intended._

Miko couldn't help but look out the passenger window forlornly. It seemed like everything that was positive and good in this world was in ruins. Bulkhead was silent, and had been for the last three hours since they had emerged from the ground bridge. The defeated look on Jack's face when she and Bulkhead had rolled out had been jarring. For Jack to be so down then this had to be incredibly bad and not just some temporary reversal of fortune. She also was worried about her host parents. She had never given them the real respect they deserved, but they weren't bad people. Hopefully they got away from Jasper. That brought her to thinking about her parents in Tokyo. They were probably worried sick by now, and she had no way of communicating with them and not give away their location.

"We're almost there, Miko," Bulkheads voice rumbled in the cab.

"Where's here?" she asked, her voice not having any of her usual enthusiasm.

"One of the temporary bases we built over the past year," Bulkhead told her. "We'll be safe there."

"Okay," Miko said morosely.

Bulkhead didn't know what to do. He had never seen Miko like this, and he was her guardian. He wanted nothing more than to find Starscream and rip his spark out for kidnapping the kids and taking them to Cybertron. He wanted to pay Knockout a little visit, too, for that matter.

"It's gonna be okay, Miko," he tried to assure her as he sent out an encrypted low band signal. He went through a slight shimmer and down a long metal entryway to a large, very sophisticated control room.

"Woah," Miko said in wonder. She didn't feel like being impressed with anything, but this place was amazing. She could tell that this was Cybertronian technology, not human leftover equipment Jerry-rigged like at the old base. She watched as Bulkhead went over to one of the main consoles and began tapping out commands and she saw the base come alive.

When Bulkhead was satisfied that they were beyond detection he turned and looked down at his best friend. For perhaps the first time since meeting her he saw how truly small she was, just like all humans were small compared to Cybertronians. It was disturbing since he considered her part of the team. An integral part in the fight against the Decepticons. He knew she had the abilities to do some serious damage, and she had an intuitive grasp of combat, despite her inability to take on a 'Con face to face. It hit him that he would need to bring her out of her depression and show her that it wasn't all lost. He also wanted her to know that they were in this together.

"Come here, Miko," he told her and placed his large hand down for her to climb onto. When she was in his palm he raised her to a main level where they had designed stations for this human friends. When she took a seat on one of the chairs he spoke again. "We're gonna be here a while. There's food, quarters and everything you need here."

"What about the others?" Miko asked, her voice catching a bit thinking about Jack and Raf, as well as the other Autobots. She and Arcee were beginning to have a real friendship, and she admired the other Autobots, including Ratchet.

Bulkhead looked grim. "Bee and Raf got away, and so did we, but everyone else? I don't know," he admitted. "I'm sure that at least Arcee and Jack did, but at the very least Optimus is probably dead."

"Dead?" Miko gasped.

Bulkhead nodded. "Someone would have to stay behind and make sure that no one could find out where we were all bridged out to," he told her. "There ain't no way Optimus would let anyone do that but himself."

"What about Fowler and Wheeljack?"

A surge in his spark flared when he thought of Fowler and Jackie. "They were trying to buy us some time, but I can't imagine them lasting for long against all that firepower," he admitted. "And just as I was getting to like Fowler, too."

"What was it like when you had to leave Cybertron?" Miko asked. She had never asked him that, and had not really thought about it, but the overwhelming sense of loss she was feeling right now made her wonder about how the Autobots had held it together when they had to recognize that they had to abandon there planet as it was going dark.

Bulkhead knew she was asking about when they left Cybertron a few centuries before, and not this latest time when Optimus had destroyed the Omega Lock. He let his processors think back on those final days on Cybertron and the feelings of defeat and despair even as the Decepticons were launching everything they had at them while they were trying to escape. For the first time he realized something important.

"It was tough," he admitted. "No one wanted to admit our home was dying. We still wanted to stomp Old Bucket Head into slag. We wanted to revive Cybertron. But I'm not upset about that anymore. I have something better."

Miko felt small and tired. She lifted her head when he said that. "What's that?" she asked.

"The best friend I've ever had," he told her. "The one person who has my back no matter what. The person who wouldn't let me sit on my can and give up when Hardshell shot me in the back. And the person who I will fight for until I go offline. We've got better days coming, Miko. And I know that because I've got you right with me knocking some 'Con heads together."

Miko swelled with pride at those incredible words of confidence from her best friend. She may not be all there yet, given all that had happened, but she was getting there. "I'll always have your back, Bulk," she echoed the words she said to him that time when she took the picture of the Energon during that mission to Greece. "So what do we do now?"

Bulkhead nodded. He now knew that Miko was ready. "We wait and plan for when we get the signal," he told her. "That means I teach you about combat tactics and what I need from my partner when we finally strike back at those 'Con scum. For now, though, you need to get something to eat from supply, and then some rest. No argument."

Miko grinned. "No argument," she told him with a nod. When he told her where the food supplies were she walked in that direction but turned around before she got too far. "Thanks for having _**my**_ back, Bulk," she told him.

"Always, Miko," he told her as she rounded the corner. Then he turned to the bank of monitors and took on the situation in the outside world, not liking what he was seeing. This was going to be a long fight. But they were going to win. For Miko. For Fowler. For Jacky. For their new home. This time the Decepticons would know that they had stepped one step too far, and would come to seriously regret it.

_A/N: Sorry about the delay on this one, but I wanted to try and write this pairing a couple of different ways. I hope the result is one that you all can enjoy. The next chapter will be Fowler and June, followed by a chapter on Bumblebee and Raf. Gregg._


	3. Chapter 3

_Thank you for the encouraging responses to the first two chapters to this one. For this chapter I chose to focus on Fowler and June Darby. I think that having them next will allow a better segue into the chapter on Bumblebee and Raf. I hope you enjoy this one. Gregg._

_Disclaimer: I don't own, or profit from, these characters or franchise. No copyright infringement is intended._

Both Fowler and June looked in horror at the devastated remains of the Autobot base, then Fowler beat a hasty retreat. He flew down low, trying to evade enemy air patrols that he knew would not be long in coming. He needed to get to the base and report on what was now a war involving Earth directly. Right now survival and regrouping were the priorities. He looked over at June, a woman he had come to respect, and like, a great deal. She looked ashen. Not surprising since they had no idea what had happened to her son Jack and the other kids.

"It's going to be pretty hectic at the base, June," Fowler told her, finally breaking the silence. "There's also going to be a lot of questions about your presence, and also about the kids."

"What do you mean?" June asked, turning her attention to Fowler.

Fowler looked a bit embarrassed. "My superiors don't know about the kids, or you, except in the vaguest terms," he explained. "They think the kids are adults who offer special skills, and you are the medical go to person. I had to put it that way when I got grilled by the General a few months ago."

"I just want to know what happened to Jack and the other kids," June told him. "I don't give a damn about what the government thinks right now."

"Prime knew that base wouldn't stand up to a full on attack, June," Fowler told her. "I have to believe that he got everyone out, especially the kids."

"But where?" June asked the one daunting question.

"I wish I knew," Fowler replied.

Fowler hated himself for asking in his own mind the question of whether Prime would have risked Bridging everyone out since the signal could have conceivably been tracked. At least he would think so given that the 'Cons had Cybertronian tech on that warship of theirs. Could Prime have allowed them all to go down with the base? He didn't think so given his read of Prime as a leader and as a person, bot or no bot. But in war strange things happen in the heat of battle, and there wouldn't have been much time, even with the little extra that he and Wheeljack had bought them.

One hour later he brought the chopper in for a landing at the airfield that was currently the main staging area for Air Defense Command. The whole area was a swarm of activity. Fighter jets of various classifications were taking off and landing in large numbers. Attack helicopters were also being readied. The sad part was that he knew that most of these men and women would not be returning. The 'Cons were too powerful and had major air superiority. But they had to fight. Too much was at stake not to.

"Special Agent Fowler?" a sergeant who approached the chopper said when Fowler got out. "General Bryce orders you to report to him ASAP in the main command and control center."

"Tell Bryce I'm on my way, Sergeant," Fowler said, now all military. "This is Nurse June Darby. Take her to a waiting area and make her comfortable. She'll be needed by me and General Bryce soon."

"Yes, Sir," the Sergeant replied. He turned to Nurse Darby. "Ma'am? If you'll follow me?"

Five hours later Fowler entered the room where June Darby was. To say the General hadn't been pleased about the whole thing, especially the kids, would be a major understatement, but had relented when Fowler had explained just what those kids had accomplished since meeting the Autobots. As for June Darby, Fowler had convinced the General that making her his partner in this fight, and also with him to try and find out what the Autobots had done, was a good idea. At least that way she would be able to do what he knew she would try do on her own anyway.

"Bill?" June asked when he entered the room. She'd been questioned briefly for some details, but nothing else had happened.

"No one knows what happened to Prime and the others," Fowler told her. "No communications have been established, which means we don't know if anyone bridged out, or if they were in there when the place was blown apart. But General Bryce did allow me to bring you in to work with me on all this, and to try and find out what happened to Prime and the others."

"We need to let Miko and Raf's parents know what is going on," June said somberly. There was too much going through her mind for her to be anything but morose and scared at the moment, no matter how much she trusted Optimus to have gotten the children to safety.

"Already on it," Fowler told her. "Raf's mother is being located and will be brought here. As for Miko, her host parents will be brought here, and her parents in Tokyo are being placed under protection in case the 'Cons decide to up the stakes any further."

"I think we should focus on finding Bumblebee and Raf first as Raf is the youngest," June said firmly. It pained her to say that, seeing as her own son was out there, too, but she had to think rationally, and the idea that such a young boy as Raf was out there without his Mother tore at her. Jack was incredibly mature, and she trusted Arcee implicitly, assuming he got out of there with her, so her need to find her own son would have to take second place for now.

Fowler could see what that statement cost her, and he placed an arm over her shoulder. "Then let's get to work," he told her. He genuinely admired her, and would do whatever necessary to make sure the kids were found, and that the 'Cons would pay for all of this once and for all.

_A/N: This chapter was much harder to write than I had first imagined. It still isn't quite what I wanted, but here it is. I hope you enjoyed it. Happy coming New Year! Gregg._


	4. Chapter 4

_Sorry for the delay on this new chapter, but the holidays and health issues have prevented me from tackling this next one as quickly as I had hoped. I hope you enjoy this one between Bumblebee and Raf. Gregg._

_Disclaimer: I don't own, or profit from, these characters or franchise. No copyright infringement is intended._

Bumblebee was unsure of what to do in this situation. He was angry at the 'Cons for involving the children in the whole debacle on Cybertron. He was sad that Raf was now having to see the full extent of what this war cost in terms of real loss and anguish. He was relieved that Optimus had sent everyone out so that they could all fight the 'Cons sometime in the near future. But he was scared that their leader may not even be online still given that someone would have to make sure that no trace was possible of where everyone had been sent. For now he drove silently along a back road, putting as much distance from the drop off point as he could. His internal GPS made sure he never strayed too far from where he needed to end up.

Raf was also silent. More than anything he was scared. For the first time since all this had began, even more than some of the more dangerous situations that he had been in since meeting the Autobots, he understood that this was incredibly real. And deadly. All it would have taken was one crack in the container that Soundwave had him in on Cybertron and he would have been dead. Jack had been brave and defiant, and so had Miko, but he hadn't been able to do more than gulp at the idea of suffocating in the deadly atmosphere. What good was he? He couldn't even voice support for his closest friends and allies when the chips were really down.

"Where are we going, Bee?" he finally asked when he couldn't take the silence anymore.

Bumblebee responded with his chirps and whistles.

_Someplace safe._

"But what about the others?" Raf questioned. Maybe if he asked questions it would settle his mind down.

_When the time's right we'll be in contact._

"My Mom's going to freak," Raf commented.

_We can't risk contacting anyone yet._

"Do we really have a chance at winning?" Raf finally asked the question that had been plaguing him since they had left the base.

Bee was silent for a bit and then gave a clipped reply, the tone very morose.

_I don't know._

When Bee came to the location he was heading for he sent out an encrypted low band signal. A shimmer became visible and he drove right through it, heading along a metal tunnel to a main command and control center. He came to a stop and transformed when Raf had gotten out. He went right over to the control consoles and powered up the auxiliary base, the many consoles and features lighting up, the script of the Cybertronian language flowing across the screens, along with visuals and scans too numerous to count. When he finished he noticed Raf has made his way to the level that was built for their human friends and had seated himself at one of the stations, looking with rapt attention at the information scrolling across the screen in front of him.

Raf was in awe. This was Cybertronian tech. The stuff that he had seen glimpses of, and that Ratchet had described on occasion. It put what had been at the previous base to shame.

"What is this place?" he asked.

_One of the secondary bases we built this past year._

Raf nodded and looked around. A sense of purpose and hope surged through him. This was what he was good at. He allowed his mind to ignore the fear, and the pain of not knowing what was happening with his parents who were no doubt worried sick about him, focusing instead on what he could possibly do with all this at his disposal. He turned in his chair and looked at his best friend.

"We need a plan, Bee," he said, a little fear slipping into his tone considering that they would need to be in this war soon. The idea of dying scared him, but the idea of his own planet dying, too, scared him more. He was beginning to understand what Jack and Miko had been subtly saying on Cybertron.

Bee considered the young human in front of him. Something had changed in a few short moments. He nodded and spoke again.

_First you need to have something to eat and then get some sleep. Then we can work on what we can find out about the others under the radar, and also begin working on how we can fight this war without seeing Earth ending up like Cybertron._

"Things are different now, aren't they, Bee?" Raf asked. It seemed a ridiculous question, but he wasn't asking about the immediate situation. He was sure Bee understood what he was really asking. The threat that Bee had issued Soundwave had been full of venom, and it had given Raf some more things to think about. _You will _**DIE**_ for this_. He knew that Bee was a soldier and had killed before in the war, but this had been the first time that he had witnessed the hard, stern reality of that, in addition to the selfless loyalty to his friends.

_Optimus never wanted humans to be a part of this war. Now you are. Megatron changed everything, and we need to deal with the 'Cons once and for all._

He paused, then he hardened, despite wanting to remain positive for his friend.

_Even if it means sacrificing all like Optimus did on Cybertron._

Somehow, some way, that harsh reality made Raf feel a bit better. He saw that his friends were not going to give up, and would work on saving Earth from the now very real threat that Megatron posed. His Dad watched boxing and a phrase came to mind that fit what Bee was saying. The gloves just came off. He looked earnestly at the Scout. "They won't know what hit them," he said confidently. He may need some reassurance now and then in the coming days and weeks, but he was sure that they would come out on top. But there was one thing that he wanted to make clear. "Soundwave is my problem, Bee. I want to be the one to out do him and take him out of the equation," he said, showing that he considered the Decepticon spymaster a personal issue. "With all this," he said with a wave of his arm at the tech they had, "he won't stand a chance."

Bee looked at Raf intently and then nodded. He needed to keep Raf's spirits up and his mind focused on the issues at hand. When they all regrouped he was sure that Ratchet was going to need Raf more than ever. Bee was going to make sure that his best friend was ready for that. He issued a few directions to let Raf know where food and supplies were, as well as quarters, and then shooed him from the center, knowing his friend really needed some rest. After Raf left the room he contemplated the resiliency of all their human friends, and was glad that Raf was with him. As much as he would be helping Raf, Raf was just as helpful in reverse, keeping his attention focused and ever mindful of the real purpose that motivated himself and the other Autobots. Turning, he continued to monitor the sensors and made minute adjustments as needed. Somehow things didn't seem as lost as they had just a few short hours before.

_A/N: This, I must say, has been the most difficult chapter to write, as it is difficult to try and see what a 12 year old would be thinking and wondering about. I tried to blend his mature genius and young fears that all 12 year olds would have. I hope it worked and you all enjoyed this new chapter. Happy New Year. Gregg._


	5. Chapter 5

_Thank you for the response to the chapter on Bumblebee and Raf. It is great to know that it was enjoyed just as much as the previous chapters. This one is going to be a bit more one-sided as it will deal with Ratchet and what he is thinking once he exits the Ground Bridge. I hope that this one is a good addition to the story. Gregg._

_Disclaimer: I don't own, or profit from, these characters or franchise. No copyright infringement is intended._

Ratchet emerged from the Ground Bridge in a daze. In the space of less than thirty minutes he had gone from euphoria at the idea that their home planet was going to be revitalized, to the hard reality of defeat. He was still trying to process the concept that Optimus had destroyed the Omega Lock, potentially dooming Cybertron to it's horrific fate. Checking his GPS he changed directions and sped along to the nearby secondary base.

He had been tempted to argue with Optimus about the Prime's decision to almost assuredly sacrifice himself to keep everyone's locations safe, but had realized that it would have done no good. The historical archivist Orion Pax had become a Prime for a reason. And Primus had given the Matrix to Orion for a reason. That selfless act at the base was one of the qualities that had transformed Orion Pax into Optimus Prime. Knowing that, and having it come to the forefront of his thoughts had allowed him to enter the Ground Bridge leaving Optimus behind to his fate.

In his musings he thought of the children. His mind would only use that term because of the human life spans and common terminology, but in his opinion the three children, even Miko, had proven themselves to be the equal of any Autobot he had ever met. He had always held a dim view of humanity in general, but over time that had changed. He had a great respect for Jack. The consistent bravery and willingness to take on any task had won over Ratchet. The fact that the young man had braved the perils of a dead world to bring back Optimus showed just how well Optimus had chosen a protector for the Key to Vector Sigma. Miko was an annoying person most of the time, but she had a loyalty to all of them that would be difficult to match. Bulkhead had told him of the time she had tried to remove boulders from a cave in to save Bulkhead, and wouldn't give up. He had also seen how she had worked with Bulkhead during his recovery from the Tox-N exposure and the shot to the back from Hardshell. He was confident that she would be just as uncompromising in her efforts if any of the other bots were in a similar predicament.

And then there was Rafael. From the start he had been roughest on the youngest of their human allies, yet over time he had come to realize that without the brilliant young human the war would have been lost here on Earth. Rafael gave him the backup he sorely needed in these trying times, and someone to discuss technical, sophisticated problems with. In truth what he had told Optimus some time ago was very true. He needed Rafael. Ratchet could see that without Rafael, the future was going to be very short and bleak for the remaining Autobots.

He sent out a signal and went through a shimmering haze down a long entryway and into a main computer station. Quickly transforming he set to work engaging the super sensitive sensor arrays and downloading as much intel that could be had without alerting the Decepticons, especially Soundwave, of his continued existence. Stealth and being completely under the radar was essential now. Removing a computer chip from his wrist storage compartment he plugged it in and began examining the quick scans of Megatron's new fortress that he had been able to take before abandoning the base. What he saw only confirmed his worst fears. The energy spikes were almost off the charts, telling him that the fortress was fully functional, and also loaded with Energon. Apparently the Omega Lock also provided an abundance of Energon, as well. His amazement at what the Ancient Cybertronians, most likely the Thirteen Original Primes, had accomplished technologically.

"What are we going to do?" he muttered.

He was so unsure of everything at that moment. It was worse than when Optimus had reverted to Orion Pax. At least then there had been hope that they could regain their leader, and also they had their base to rely on without the Decepticons bringing the war fully onto Earth. Humanity was being given a serious wake up about life from other planets, and it was not a good lesson to learn this time.

One serious problem that would have to be dealt with when they could regroup safely was to determine who was to lead them. Optimus was the last of the Primes. Ratchet himself was the oldest and most experienced of those remaining, but he was merely a Medibot and mission coordinator. His dual roles necessitated that he not be the new leader. Bulkhead was a soldier first and foremost, and did not have the patience or wisdom needed. Bumblebee was far too young and inexperienced for the position, and their newest recruit had too much ego to make an effective leader. His mind thought of Arcee and while he respected her abilities, and her good work as Second-in-Command, her brash attitude and desire for revenge at times would be a serious hindrance. That left only one choice in his opinion, and it was one that he was reluctant to voice.

Jack. He had said it before. Jack was much like Optimus was before becoming Optimus. The idealism and desire for making the world around him better was strongly reminiscent of Orion Pax. But Jack also had something that Orion had lacked. A pragmatism that allowed him to see the broader implications that sometimes idealism hid from view. Jack had proven time and again that he had been more than worthy of the almost sacred trust that Optimus had placed in him when he handed the young human the Key to Vector Sigma. Yes, their new leader must be Jack. Now Ratchet needed to be able to convince the others of that, and he knew he would be spending a great deal of time in the coming days and weeks figuring out how to do that.

Ratchet cleared the screens and began running diagnostics on all the bases systems. He needed to know that the base was fully operational, and was lacking nothing. It reminded him of the many hours that he would spend in their old base worrying over Energon supplies and trying to keep the rather primitive human tech from malfunctioning. A pain of loneliness swept through him all of a sudden as he thought once more of Rafael. Of all the humans, he was confident that Rafael was feeling as hemmed in and unsure as he was. But he also was sure that Rafael was already taking in the advanced Cybertronian technology and formulating some interesting possibilities for the future conflicts with the Decepticons.

Conflict. For eons that was all that he and the rest of the Autobots had known. Now Optimus had paid the ultimate price, and all of humanity was drawn into a conflict that could well destroy this world. Five Autobots and three humans were all that currently stood between Megatron and the destruction of Earth. His thinking was going to have to now include the human military, despite his belief that Optimus had shared that human forces wouldn't be able to hold back the Decepticons for long. He was sure that Wheeljack and Agent Fowler had died giving them the time to escape. He could only hope that Nurse Darby somehow got away. He would need her help, too, before all this was over.

"We won't let your sacrifice be in vain, Optimus," he said firmly as he slammed his clenched fist down on a console. "It may take some time, and a lot of sacrifice, but we will not let Megatron succeed."

He settled down to begin the long, hard journey to make that assertion a reality.

_A/N: A little different, but I thought Ratchet would be somewhat more introspective, and also try and focus more forward looking instead of dwelling on the apparent loss of Optimus. I hope that the above was realistic enough. It allows me to segue into continuing to look at the other pairings. Gregg._


End file.
